Athlete Cao Thi Duyen received gold medal at SEA Games 32.

The small house of athlete Cao Thi Duyen’s family at the end of Quy Tan village, Cam Quy commune, Cam Thuy mountainous district has been filled with laughter in recent days.

The small house, about 30 square meters wide, is perched on a steep hillside with no valuable assets.

Mr. Cao Van Ky (45 years old) said that he and his wife were not surprised but were extremely proud of the results their daughter achieved.

Mr. Ky works as a stone cutter 30 km from home. He just returned to the village to mourn his uncle, just in time for his daughter to compete in Cambodia.

Pointing to the old broken TV, Mr. Ky said that both husband and wife do not have smartphones so they do not know what Duyen’s results will be.

Small house of Cao Thi Duyen’s family.

Speaking of his daughter, Mr. Ky pointed to the jagged stone wall covered with medals and certificates, his voice full of pride.

According to relatives, from a young age Duyen showed her ability to surpass her friends in the village because of her hobby of swimming.

In 2011, the turning point in life came to a Muong girl.

According to Mr. Ky, the day his daughter left her family to go to the city to practice, he and his wife were very worried.

Mr. Cao Van Ky and his wife proudly show off their daughter’s achievements.

At the training center, Duyen was trained in swimming.

Just a short time after switching to diving, Cao Thi Duyen won two gold medals, breaking two national records at the age group championship in 2015. A year later, Duyen continued to win gold medals at the 2015 age group championship.

In particular, at the 2018 National Sports Festival, Duyen won one gold medal, two silver medals, breaking a conference record.

The lake in En village is where Cao Thi Duyen learned to swim as a child.

Coach Pham Tuan Anh said that Duyen had a sense of independence quite early due to the characteristics of professional athletes living far away from family.

`Unfortunately, diving is only held at the SEA Games and the highest is the Asian Championship, and has not been included in competition at ASIAD or the Olympics. Hopefully one day this subject will receive more attention so that athletes like Duyen can

The poor family background of the golden girl of SEA Games 32 diving

The house is filled with medals and certificates of merit from athlete Cao Thi Duyen.

At SEA Games 32, Cao Thi Duyen won three gold medals in diving in the following events: 4x200m propeller relay for women;

Le Hoang